


Once a member of the Mighty Nein, always a member of the Mighty Nein

by thepetulantpen



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Fix-It, Idk how to use this website so let me know if I’ve messed something up, also posted on my tumblr of the same username, first fanfic ever actually, first work in this fandom!, it’s short but it’s ok, spoilers for ep 26, uhhh I hope you like?, written before live show
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-14
Updated: 2018-08-14
Packaged: 2019-06-27 12:25:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15685401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thepetulantpen/pseuds/thepetulantpen
Summary: Molly wakes up.(Aka ANOTHER Molly fix it)





	Once a member of the Mighty Nein, always a member of the Mighty Nein

Molly wakes in a familiar place. 

A shallow grave. 

This time, he doesn’t panic as much, remembering not to open his eyes or his mouth and just move quickly to push as much dirt out of his face as he can. 

It’s easier this time, barely a foot or two of dirt. What dimwits made a grave so shallow? 

Memories flood back. His name, a luxury he wasn’t give last time. And something else, lurking just bellow his consciousness. He ignores it in favor of a better memory; his friends. 

Ah. His dimwits. 

The battle with the shepards comes back to him, in bits and pieces. Caleb, Nott. Lorenzo, that oily bastard. Beau, alive. The horses, dead. 

Horses?

The sound of hooves on a dirt road. It doesn’t make sense for a few moments, his head is still too hazy from death and from remembering a lifetime and more. 

He’s so busy thinking of his friends, forced to bury him in a poorly dug grave, and of those who will get the bad news too late. Of Yasha, who will raise hell when she finds out what happened. Of Jester and what a shame it is to dull such a bright spirit with something as dark as a friend’s death, one that she’ll, inevitably and irrationally, blame herself for. Of Fjord who will try his best to act tough but be miserable during the night, in lonely inn rooms. Of Nott and her unreadable face and fascination with his jewelry. Of Beau who will be so upset he got the final word and who will, no doubt, kill Lorenzo will her bare hands. Of Caleb and his terrible sadness and regret which will surely only grow. 

He almost misses the horses. 

Molly sits up with a start, pushing off the rest of the dirt and rushing to the road, hoping for their horses but knowing they won’t be there. Instead he sees two horses and two figures, ready to ride right past him but this might be his only chance of getting help in days so he shouts after them.

“Hey!”

His voice is a surprise. Just as strong as it was going into the grave. Curious. 

The figures turn towards his shouts. He knows them. 

The man with dark skin and a white afro, pauses with his eyebrows furrowed, confused or considering. 

The pale girl with long hair smiles broadly. 

“Oh! I know you! You’re the one with all the beautiful colors!”

Shakaste supports with a handsome grin, seeming to remember his old friend.

“Ah, yes. The bright colored one. Afraid I don’t remember your name.”

“It’s Luc- er, Molly. Mollymauk.”

Calianna hops off her horse to approach him and Shakaste follows, The Grand Duchess, in all her royal beauty, perched on his shoulder. 

“Where are the rest of your friends? What are you doing covered in dirt by the side of road? Where’s your coat? Are you hurt? Were you kidnapped, perhaps? We’ve been hearing stories-“

Molly looks down at himself for the first time. He’s coatless, scimitarless and, when he reaches up to check, all his jewelry has been taken. It makes him smile fondly at the thought of Nott hoarding bits of horn jewelry she can’t possibly use. It disappears when his eyes fall upon his tattoos, the thing he’s forced down deep in his subconscious protests loudly at their presence. 

He shakes himself out it, focusing his thoughts on making a plausible story. 

“I was, uh, injured and separated from the others in battle. They’re probably heading up to shady creek, to get back the rest of our friends. They’ve been kidnapped.” Not the best lie he’s told, but he’s only just woken up. Impersonating royalty comes later down the road. 

Calianna gushes in concern at this story, speaking at length about the rumors they’ve heard about the kidnappers and, when no one interrupts her, entering a long tangent about how scary she thinks it would be to be kidnapped in such a manner. 

Shakaste, in all his wisdom, squints at him suspiciously. Molly, even in all his lack of wisdom, realizes this is meant to remind Molly that Shakaste has much more than two years experience in this world, he has heard more than his fair share of lies, most better than his. A blind man has no need to squint. 

Molly can hardly listen when Calianna, prompted by Shakaste, recounts the story of how they met in Alfield. She was searching for another piece of her cult puzzle and he was looking to protect his people. Once he became in involved in Calianna’s quest, he was convinced the best way to do that was to leave and finish business where they couldn’t be put in harm’s way. 

There’s lots of other details, mostly supplied by Calianna, but by then his thoughts have drowned out sound completely. 

Molly is in a dark place, inside that empty space he’s always had inside his head. It’s not so empty now, it’s filled with blurry shapes that give him a bad feeling. When he looks away, he finds himself face to face with Lucien. Nonagan. Whatever. His head is shaved, he’s got no tattoos, wears plain clothes and holds a sinister looking book. 

The man who’s body he’s taken control of- no, who’s body he abandoned, is staring at him and smiling, but it’s not Molly’s smile, it’s too restrained, too vicious. Blood drips from the scars Molly knows too well. Lucien closes the book. 

Mollymauk Tealeaf is back on the road. For how long, he doesn’t know. 

He hopes they can reach his friends.

**Author's Note:**

> This was my first ever fanfic but I’ll be doing more in this fandom so let me know if you like it!
> 
> I have a tumblr by the same name that I also post this stuff on but it has my oc things as well, if you’re interested. 
> 
> Or you could come and scream with me about writing ideas.


End file.
